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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23595880">The Unwelcome Friend</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/acrazyworldofdreams/pseuds/acrazyworldofdreams'>acrazyworldofdreams</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>A life lived well, Character Death, Grief, M/M, Mortician, One Shot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:08:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,580</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23595880</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/acrazyworldofdreams/pseuds/acrazyworldofdreams</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Death was an unwelcome friend for many, and never more so than for Jeno Garrett Lee. It was one thing to observe death on a regular basis as a mortician but when faced with the death of a loved one, well that was a completely different experience all together.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Unwelcome Friend</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Death was an unwelcome friend for many, and never more so than for Jeno Garrett Lee. It was one thing to observe death on a regular basis as a mortician but when faced with the death of a loved one, well that was a completely different experience all together. The usual glassy eyes, paled skin, injured skin and long exhaled breathes were all together far too much when paired with the face of the one you loved most in the world.</p><p>It was a shame on this blustery, early, wet Tuesday morning deep in the heart of the countryside that nobody else was around to adhere to death’s calling, that had called his loved one so. The duty fell upon his shoulders, a heavy weight truly, but his duty in the end.</p><p>Usually the room was filled with the soft melodic sounds of nature, but today any sound feels distasteful for Jeno. Instead the usual softly beating room is empty and soundless. He daren’t utter a single extra breath than what is needed, for fear the space in between their death and the part that comes after will move forward.</p><p>If anything, a frozen moment in time is preferable.</p><p>The body. The loved one. However could only remain this way for so long, in this state of unbeing. It would be unfair to all the others that loved them so, to keep them this way.</p><p>Jeno sat on the metal stool in indecisiveness. Frozen. Unsure how to move forward from this point. The tray like metal bed begins to clang, as his unsureness makes its way into his feet. Each foot swinging towards the bed passing by the other before dinging softly each time filling the silent room, making it silent no more.</p><p>Seeking solace of the soul, Jeno focuses on the happiest of memories of the loved one. Of cups of tea in the morning, the smell of freshly mowed grass, and of music that filled the air which encompassed their whole life. Yes, happiness’s to smother the oncoming tidal wave. It is due today it seems. His motions begin as they should. He dissociates as much as he can.</p><p>Slices, plops, and scratches of pens. All above board.</p><p>A heart attack they said. A heart attack he concludes. How simple in the end.</p><p>Finally the deed is complete. The wave pushes closer, as the body flies on the gurney’s railings into its new home. This is where it is to stay now, until the time comes for the others to pay their respects. He doesn’t want this to be his last memory of them.</p><p>It is so unfair, after all of this. For this to be it. Perhaps it is his punishment for choosing this all. He takes a moment to commend the beauty in it all. Another choice seems unspeakable. His shift lasts no more than 2 hours from his arrival to its finishment. It would be a cruelty to the soul to stay a second longer than needed.</p><p>He calmly uses his quivering fingers to untie the apron covered with the blood of an angel and sets it aside to be thoroughly cleansed. As it should. He picks up a warm duffle coat. The one they always remarked on due to its similarity to Paddington Bear. Then for perhaps the last time he faces the cold air of the world outside. A world he no longer recognises. A world that feels hollow and empty and sucked of any meaning. The car journey home is short. Only to the next village. A hidden gem amongst the monstrous cities of man. A place to find peace, and perhaps a place to hide from the evils of the world.</p><p>The breakfast items are laid out still, as if someone was hoping to return in swift time to catch one last bite of toast and a final sip of luxury brand coffee, with a hint of caramel. All cold now. Jeno takes his usual place. The wooden chair upon which he sat a hundred times no longer seems as soft. The view from the same chair is now barren and the life which once blossomed in front has been evaporated like the milk in their evening cocoa. The wall clock chimes once, twice and continues until it hits 12 signalling the arrival of the afternoon. It forces Jeno into motion. Time to pack.</p><p>He wipes the table clean and replaces the tea caddy for a final time, whilst the kettle boils on the stove.</p><p>Pacing through the house as if he has all the time in the world. Jeno takes in the sights and commits them to memory, not only the visual imagery before him, but of every moment that has come before. Like a thousand photos layered one upon the other. He gathers them all up in his mind and stores them away for a time when the wave is not almost upon him.</p><p>Up the rickety wooden staircase he travels. The ones they always said they would fix but secretly Jeno adored. In particular, the creak that echoed from the seventh step. The one which summoned a joy into his heart knowing his loved one was close once more.</p><p>Onto the upper floor of the building, where the other had worked hard on turning it into a home. Despite the difficulties. He ignored the family shots the insisted on and pushed away the memory of them talking of all the children they would now never know. He glances only once towards a painting of a dove. A hope now smeared into a dirtied wet road and a car bumper.</p><p>The bedroom door is shut, as they left it early this morning. The bed, covered in a sage green coverlet, is perfectly made. The wooden frame standing strong. Another glimpse of the impending wave as it threatens to rise higher.</p><p>Jeno pulls out a single bag from under the bed and places an assortment of items into it. A bag of herbs, a small oddly coloured bottle of water, and a book. Inside of the cupboard he reaches into the back, opening a small hidden door, and pulls out more curious items including a beautiful purple cloak of which he spins into the air and settles on his shoulder over the black uniform he’s been wearing since this very morning. They always said it would be a giveaway, but Jeno has known people do not see, that which they do not want to.</p><p>Their love had not meant to have been. Jeno has always known that.</p><p>It was not right, but for these moments in time, he had been selfish and stolen time that was not theirs to be stolen. He would not apologise though. Not ever. They had loved his ferocity and Jeno intended to honour that. The wave was close now, he could feel its pressure rising on his chest and the air was became more difficult to breath in. It had been quite the ride. Jeno wouldn’t change a single thing, but he also knew that he would never survive the pain of remembering.</p><p>He couldn’t live with the memory, and the greatest gift of all was that he wouldn’t have to.</p><p>How funny that all the trimmings of a destined love could so easily be forgotten. A forbidden love between a witch and his mortal enemy. A love that was never meant to be. They had warned him. Humans who despised witches, and everything they stood for. Who were jealous of nature, and evil of heart could never love a witch. Not truly. It will break you they had said, and in the end, they were both right, but also wrong.</p><p>But they had been different. Jaemin had been different.</p><p>Jeno added a few last items to the bag. A photo of a garden, a jumper and stone. Things he hoped would be kept safe from the impending storm but was not obviously of any importance. Then he tapped it with his forefinger, sending it somewhere that was waiting. A place to house his grief and then enable him to forget the love that would destroy him from the inside out.</p><p>Perhaps it was the cowards way out.</p><p>For now, all that was left was to burn the life they had built to ensure Jeno would never accidentally remember Jaemin.</p><p>The stove whistles louder now, and soon it shall begin to burn and light the kitchen up in a burst of brilliance. A human fire, where Jeno’s “remains” would be found in the way mortals found them.</p><p>With a final nod, and a sob which erupts from his chest without permission, he whispers into the room that has housed a deep and time ending love story.</p><p>
  <em>“Goodnight love my love. Sleep well with the angels. Until we meet again, I shall live as if I never knew you. Forgive me.”</em>
</p><p>Jeno vanishes from the spot, the room, the home, the county and even the country. It will be another two hundred years until he meets his end when he steps in front of a car, hitting the bumper and catapults into the opening arms of his lover once more. The one he forgot but also never could. In the end Death was his friend. For they reunited him with his dove, his angel, and his mortal companion.</p><p>His Jaemin Na.</p><p>May love never end, even when Death keeps you apart for a few hundred years.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Been watching way too many things with people dying in them.....so I wrote a thing. </p><p>Hope you're all staying safe, &amp; healthy xx</p></blockquote></div></div>
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